ASSIST Conference 2006 – ‘Setting The Trend’

The 2006 A.S.S.I.S.T. Conference tackled many of the difficult issues that are currently affecting the membership. Issues such as Equal Pay, Promoting Health in Schools, How to be a Successful Woman in Business and also Partnership Working.

Chaired by Fergus Chambers, Chair A.S.S.I.S.T, the first session of the conference was opened by Pat Watters with a typically challenging and thought-provoking talk. Paul O’Brien CEO APSE and Alex Linkston, CEO of West Lothian Council joined the debate.

The Leading Ladies session hosted by Viv Lumsden saw three business women with very interesting takes on how to become successful in male dominated industries.

Diane West, Assistant Managing Director of The Daily Record and Sunday Mail, Samantha Barbour, Chief Executive of Scottish Business in the Community, and Fiona Lees, Chief Executive, East Ayrshire Council discussed their take on how they have become a success in their respective fields.

Paul O’Brien, CEO APSE, Margaret Paterson, Leader of Clackmannanshire Council and Grant Henderson, Operations Director, Amey Business Services, discussed the hot topic of Partnership Working, and Dr Roberta Sonnino from Cardiff University gave a fascinating talk on how Italians source local and organic food and the contrasting attitudes within the Italian culture that could provide a positive affect for our own school meal provision.

Our supplier exhibition was a great success with over fifteen new suppliers attending amongst the 54 exhibitors. The Chairperson’s Award for Services to the Industry was presented to Gillian Kynoch of the Scottish Executive for her work in supporting Scottish Councils in the Hungry For Success programme.